It might not be the cell phones that are causing all of these car accidents in the state of North Carolina. According to the Insurance institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), drivers over the age of 18 in the state are allowed to talk on a cell phone as they please while driving. Drivers of all ages are prohibited from text messaging while driving however.
Well, Science Now reports that it’s not the cell phone chatting or the text message typing that’s putting motorists in danger, it’s the overall habits of these drivers. If they’re brave and stupid enough to engage in these distractions, then they’re brave and stupid enough to drive dangerously without them. Our Asheville car accident lawyers know the risk is real when it comes to using these devices behind the wheel. However, it comes as no surprise that bad drivers are just as bad without them.

There should never be a time when you feel it’s okay to take your hands off of the wheel, your eyes off of the road and your mind off of the task at hand — driving.

Recently, researchers looked at more than 100 drivers to see just how they would act behind the wheel when cell phones weren’t present. These drivers were separated in two groups: Those who talked on the phone frequently behind the wheel and those who rarely did so. The cars they were given were equipped with monitoring systems so that the drivers and their actions behind the wheel could be fully recorded. The only thing that they weren’t given was a cell phone. It was clear that the phones weren’t what was causing poor driving habits.

The drivers in the “uses a cell phone behind the wheel frequently” group clearly were more aggressive behind the wheel. They were more likely to speed, to run red lights, to make erratic maneuvers, to slam on the brakes and to step on the gas. Those who were in the “hardly uses a cell phone while driving” group were much more cautious behind the wheel and were more likely to abide by road laws.

Officials believe that it may not be the actual distractions that are causing the problem here. The fundamental problem may be the behavior of the individuals who are willing to pick up the technology in the first place.

This leads many to think it might be part of the reason distracted driving laws haven’t been able to decrease the number of car accidents, injuries and fatalities. Drivers are going to engage in dangerous driving habits regardless of what the law states. A bad driver doesn’t have to have a cell phone to endanger lives.

We’re asking that you make a conscious effort to obey traffic laws, use common sense and stay safe behind the wheel. Whether you were a frequent cell phone user or a rare cell phone user, we’re asking all drivers to be conscious of their driving habits at all times!If your or a loved one has been injured, contact Lee Law Offices, P.A. for a free and confidential consultation. Call 1-800-887-1965.